Source: Gradolabs.com
Intro:
Before going on to describe the headphones them self, I've to give a background on the company who fames itself as, "Truly the worlds finest..." Grado has been around for quite awhile, starting out as a phono cart manufacturer they've slowly grown on to make headphones, largely considered the worlds best. Grado in itself has experienced ever growing success as time goes by. Their company whose very existence relies on word of mouth gives proof to the quality products they put out. Recently, in 2009 Grado put out its "i" upgrade to their headphones, "i" standing for "improved." These modifications brought with them larger driving houses, different pads, and better resonance for the frequency range. They are indeed improved. To this day, the company still man. all but one of their cans here stateside in their garage workshop in Brooklyn, NY with a total employee count of 17.
Sound Quality:
The unique sound signature that comes from these cans comes from the type of headphones these are. For all of those who are not regulars into the world of sound, or more specifically headphones, their are two major types of full sized 'phones. You've open back and closed back, which basically means that with one the drivers are exposed on both sides of the phones (facing in and out) and closed facing inwards with a closed off encasing. Each type has their advantages, and I fear not describing them in detail as it would take far to long. These Grado cans specifically along with every other one in their line are of the open variant. This lets the drivers push more air around. This leads to a tighter bass, and extremely detailed mids/highs. In most cases, you could say that they are perfect for use with music with vocal tracks and guitar such as blues, rock, or folk music specifically. They are great for home listening or recording studio use as you can hear your surroundings as well as music, thus hear prompts when you need to. However, this means that they are not isolating what-so ever, and everyone around you can hear your music and think that you are in effect blowing you ears out with the volume level.
Knowing how the type of headphone they are is important, but what about the sound? This I am sure is what you really want to hear.
The sound in these cans really brings fourth the vocals and guitar work, this is called the midrange and it is fantastic. I am not exaggerating when I say that these things scream with highs, listening to electric guitars never made your ears bleed like this. But I like it, no, I love it. These things make Rock 'n' Roll and the Blues come to life. What do I mean by this? Guitars and vocals stick out with extreme clarity but with a bit of harshness, but that doesn't mean it's lacking in the lower end. The bass is tight but pronounced enough, making these (for some) not ideal for electronic of hip-hop. It's all a matter of taste when it comes down to sound reproduction product, but this pie is some of the best tasting in the world.
Design:
Grado cans look like something straight out of 50's with a Rock 'n' Roll flavor. To date, they are some of the only cans that I know of still crafted with the old rod system (see pictures). Just take a look a the picture above. While these SR80i cans are made of plastic, the higher entries in this series (the prestige series) and ones above (reference series) are made of aluminum medal or mahogany wood which only add even more beauty to the Grado line. There is something trouble some however, the build quality. The headphones feel--cheap. The headband feels like a cheap vinyl, the driver housing feels weak like it would be crushed easily, and there is some visible glue on the outside grill. While all this is disappointing, I can say that while they feel cheap they definitely are quite capable of taking average abuse. After six some odd months, the painting has started to fade, the cables show some wear. But everything works as it should, and they take well to this college student's backpack and it's abuse. Aside from the look though, the drivers are designed well. With only 32ohm impedance, they can easily be driven by any portable media player or laptop, which is a huge plus in my book, but they do shine when amped up!
Conclusion:
With all this said, I really cannot recommend another set of headphones in the sub-$100 price range. Being hand crafted in America, having some of the most amazing sound I've ever heard, and looking well, awesome it's safe to say they are among my favorite headphones. However, this doesn't mean they are for everyone. Open headphones make isolation nil, and lets the world listen to your music. So if you are using them for a commute, I strongly dis-advise. Try on a pair, and see what you think. They truly are something remarkable.
